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Celebrating Volunteers Week and our Charity Shop’s 20th Birthday

June 3, 2026 by

The Living Room Charity Shop, in Stevenage, is marking its 20th anniversary this week.

CEO Adrienne Arthurs said: “We are so proud of our charity shop, which has been the cornerstone of The Living Room for 20 years. It has gone from strength to strength, and we’re also celebrating its most successful year yet, bringing in vital funds to support our work helping people affected by addiction.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported the shop over the years by donating, shopping with us, volunteering their time, and spreading the word. Every purchase, donation and act of support makes a real difference and helps us continue providing life-changing services to those who need them most.”

The first week in June also marks Volunteers’ Week, which offers charities such as The Living Room, the opportunity to acknowledge the huge role that volunteers play and the important contribution they make.

Sally Sanders, the shop’s longstanding manager, said:

“We are incredibly grateful to our wonderful volunteers, whose dedication, enthusiasm, and generosity make such a difference every day. They give their precious time so selflessly, working tirelessly to help make our charity shop a welcoming, friendly, and enjoyable place to visit. Their hard work, commitment, and support are at the heart of everything we do, and we simply couldn’t achieve what we do without them. Thank you to each and every one of our volunteers for the invaluable contribution you make to our shop and the community.

She added: “Here’s to the memories of the past years, and I’m sure there will be many more yet to come.”

Breathe in calm, breathe out stress…

The Box Breathing Tool, created by Watford counsellor Yousef Kira Durrani, is a simple yet highly effective technique designed to help regulate the nervous system during times of anxiety, stress, overwhelm, or emotional discomfort.

By following a structured pattern of breathing in, holding, breathing out, and holding again for equal counts, we can slow our heart rate, calm racing thoughts, and bring our attention back to the present moment.

Box Breathing Tool

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